Ratchet-wrench.



PATENTED MAB.. l0, 1903.

A. P. KERSHNBR. RATGHET WRENCH.

APPLIOATION FILED nno. 1s. 1902.

H0 MODEL.

lilllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

ALONZO `PERRY KERSHNER, OF FLATWOODS, WEST VIRGINIA.

RATCHET-WRENCH.

SPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,450, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed December 13, 1902. Serial No. 135,142. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo PERRY Kansri- NER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flatwoods, in the county of Braxton and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Ratchet-Wrench, of which the fol' lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to ratchet-wrenches, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which is provided with means for conveniently adjusting the jaws thereof so as to be applicable to nuts of `m`diiferent sizes and arranged for receiving a bolt so that the nut may be applied or set to any point upon the bolt. It is also designed to arrange the nut-engaging jaws so that the strain may be received by the rotary head of the wrench, thus relieving the jaws and providing a strong and durable device.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ratchet-wrench constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the face-plate being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken through the rotary head or hub. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 3.

Corresponding p'arts in the several iigures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the handle of the wrench, and 2 and 3 the respect-ive face-plates, which are connected to opposite sides of the handle by means of suitable fastenings 4: and extend in advance of the front end of the handle. Thus the face-plates are separated by an interspace, and the outerv 'ends of the plates are laterally enlarged so as to form heads, which are provided with the corresponding circular openings 5 to form a bore or seat for the rotary head or hub 6, that is provided with the peripheral series of ratchet-teeth 7, that lie hub is a ring 10, which is fitted iiush in the outer side of the" hub and held in place by means of suitable removable fastenings 11.

Fitting loosely' in the ring is an externally screw-threaded sleeve or tube 12, which is Open at opposite ends and projects at opposite sides of the ring and into the bore of the hub.V Embracing the outer-projecting end of the sleeve or tube is a thumb-nut 13, which bears against the outer face of the ring, so that by turning the nut the tube may be adjusted longitudinally through the ring and in oppositev directions.

Opposite the nut 13 are the nut-engaging jaws 14, each of which is provided with an inclined or beveled shank 15, that is slidably fitted in one of the inclined grooves 9 in the bore of the hub and has its inner end provided with a hook 16, which engages through a perforation formed in the inner end of the tube 12, so as to form a hinged or pivotal connection therewith. Secured to diametrically opposite points within the inner end of vthe tube 12 is the pair of leaf-springs 17, which are bowed and project outwardly through the inner end of the tube, vso that their free ends may engage the respective Shanks 15 to normally force the jaws apart and retain the Shanks Within the respective grooves. Encircling the tube 'and bearing in opposite directions against the Shanks and the inner side of the ring 10 is the coiled spring 18, which is designed to cushion the jaws. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that by turning the nut 13 the tube 12 may be fed through the ring,thereby moving the shanks longitudinally in the inclined grooves 9, which will result in either a closing together or a separation of the jaws to accommodate the wrench to nuts of different sizes.

The means for operating the hub comprise the opposite dogs or pawls 19, which arepivoted intermediate of their ends upon suitable pivot-pins 20 and are housed between the opposite face-plates and located between the hub and the adjacent end of the handle. The latter is provided with a central tongue or extension 21, which is located between the rear ends of the dogs and is embraced by a substantially U -shaped leaf -spring 22, the opposite sides of which bear outwardly in opposite directions against the inner sides of the rear ends of the dogs, so as to normally force the outer ends of the latter into engagement with the ratchet-teeth of the hub. The free ends of the spring are confined within the notches 23, formed in the adjacent end of the handle and at opposite sides ofthe tongue or extension 21, so as to prevent lateral displacement of the opposite sides of the spring. The spring is furthermore held in place by means of a pair of fastenings 24, which also serve to connect the face-plates and are disposed so as to embrace the outer rounded transverse portion of the spring. Pivoted intermediate of the outer end portions of the dogs is a cam or swinging detent 25, which is designed to be swung into engagement with either dog to disengage the latter from the ratchet-teeth of the hub, so that the latter may be turned in opposite directions by operation of the handle in the well-known manner. through one of the face-plates, preferably opposite the jaws, and is provided with a suitable finger-piece 26, whereby the detent may be conveniently operated.

What is claimed is- 1. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, a longitudinally-slidable tubular jaw-holder mounted within the bore of the hub, jaws pivotally connected to the jaw-holder, an adjusting device for the jaw-holder, and means for varying the distance between the jaws.

2. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, and having its bore provided with oppositely inclined or beveled portions, alongitudinallyslidable and tubular jaw holder mounted within the bore of the hub, opposite jaws pivotally connected to the jaw-holder and working against the beveled faces of the bore of the hub, means for yieldingly separating the jaws, and an adjusting device for the jawholder.

3. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, the bore thereof having outwardly-inclined grooves, jaws sldable in the grooves, a 1ongitudinally-movable and tubular jaw-holder mounted in the bore of the hub and having pivotal connections with the jaws, springs carried by the jaw-holder and forcing the jaws outwardly, and an adjusting device for the jaw-holder.

"4. In a ratchet-Wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon,

One of the pivots of this detent passesy a longitudinally-movable jaw-holder mounted in the bore of the hub, jaws pivotally 00am-'fg nected to the jaw-holder, springs carried by the latter and bearing in opposite directions against the jaws, and means for adjusting the jaw-holder.

5. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, the bore thereof having oppositely inclined or beveled face portions, a longitudinallymovable tubular jaw-holder mounted within the bore of the hub, opposite jaws pivotally connected to the j aw-holder and working over the inclined faces of the bore of the hub, bowed springs secured to the inner side of the tubular jaw-holder and bearing outwardly against the respective jaws, and means for adjusting the jaw-holder.

G. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, and having an inner annular flange at one end of the bore thereof, a longitudinally-movable jaw-holder mounted within the bore of the hub, jaws connected to the jaw-holder, means for adjusting the latter, and a coiled spring encircling the jaw-holder and bearing against the ange, to cushion the jaws.

'7. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted upon the handle, and having its bore provided with oppositely-inclined face portions, opposite jaws working over said inclined portions of the bore of the hub, an externally-screw-threaded j aw-holder movable longitudinally through the bore of the hub, and pivotally connected to the jaws, and a thumb-nut fitted to the jaw-holder and bearing against the outer face of the hub.

8. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a handle, a rotatable hub mounted thereon, the bore thereof having opposite outwardlyinclined grooves formed therein, an inner annular ange at one end of the bore, jaws, hav ing beveled or inclined Shanks working in the respective grooves, a longitudinally-movable tubular jaw-holder mounted in the bore of the hub, the inner end of the holder having pivotal connections with the respective jaws, and the outwardly-proj ectin g portion thereof being externally screw-threaded, an adjusting-nut fitted to the screw-threaded portion of the holder and bearing against the flange, a coiled spring encircling the holder and bearing in opposite directions against the jaws and the liange, and bowed springs having their inner ends connected to the inner side of the tubular holder and their opposite free ends bearing outwardly against the inner sides of the respective jaws.

9. In a ratchet-Wrench, the combination of a handle, having a central outwardly-project- 'ing tongue at its forward end and notches at IOO IIO

the face-plates a cam or detent mounted beyn the jaws and for engagement with either of said jaws, and a substantially U- shaped spring embracing the tongue, bearing outwardly in opposite directions against the rear ends of the dogs, and having its opposite ends seated Within the respective notches.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALONZO PERRY KERSHNER.

Witnesses:

I. S. RHEA, E. R. OSBOURN. 

